The claimant was a campaigner wanting to continue a vigil in Parliament Square. He challenged the restrictions imposed by the 2011 Act with her Human Rights.
Held: Her appeal failed: ‘The importance of the freedom to protest in Parliament Square is not in doubt. But the rights of others to use Parliament Square (for protesting as well as simply enjoying the space) are also important. If the effect of the 2011 Act had been to give the police and/or Westminster and the GLA the power significantly, to emasculate the freedom to protest then it might have been necessary to declare that the statute was incompatible with articles 10 and 11 of the Convention. But the statute is carefully targeted only at protests by those few who wish to set up camp in Parliament Square. The freedom to protest generally is not impaired at all. ‘
Lord Dyson MR, Patten, Tomplinson LJJ
[2013] EWCA Civ 28, [2013] WLR(D) 45, [2013] 2 All ER 579, [2013] HRLR 15, [2013] 1 WLR 2377
Bailii, WLRD
European Convention on Human Rights 6 1011, Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011
England and Wales
Police, Human Rights
Updated: 31 October 2021; Ref: scu.470664